Our fore-parents who organized and
built the church were farmers and homemakers who worked hard
in the fields. While demonstrating a strong faith in God,
they reared their families, attended church services and
took care of church business. It was important to them to
have a place to worship and give thanks to God for their
many blessings. The modes of transportation were horse and
buggy, horseback and walking.
There was also a Pleasant Grove School near the church. The
two education facilities worked together to educate the
children in the community. The school taught piano lessons
to one child in each family, as well as basic subjects. At
some point each child was asked to bring a vegetable from
home and a big pot of vegetable soup was made to share with
everyone, thus creating fellowship and teamwork while
nourishing the physical body.
The church was asked to relocate in order to make room for
the expansion of the Raleigh-Durham Airport. A new facility,
still in Morrisville, was built. Subsequent to the opening
of the new church, the road the church was built on was
named Pleasant Grove Church Road. Groundbreaking services
for the new location were held adjacent to the previous
structure on Nelson Road. The church became affiliated with
the United Church of Christ and was re-named Pleasant Grove
United Church of Christ.
| The church has
been blessed with 18 Pastors: |
| Rev. Jeffers |
Rev. E.J. Blue |
| Rev. Johnson |
Rev. J.H. Dowd |
| Rev. Richard Hockaday |
Rev. Ben R. Carr |
| Rev. J.B. Duke |
Rev. I.D. Goodson |
| Rev. Bridges Young |
Rev. J.P. Mangum |
| Rev. Joe Mann |
Rev. J.W. Meadows |
| Rev. J.H. Marby |
Rev. J.H. Little |
| Rev. Long A. Ruffin
|
Rev. J.E. Silvey |
| Rev. J.A. Bright
|
Rev. Dr. Classy Preston |
Members of the church God has called
into ministry are: Minister Sophia Blake, Rev. Andrea Green,
PhD, Rev. Dr. Harold Daniel, Minister Natasha
Hewlett-Faison, Minister Karen Holmes-Morant, Minister Tina
France and Minister Calvin Denson, Sr . Rev. Julie Bell was
ordained as Assistant to the Pastor on December 4, 2005.
| The Deacons of
the church: |
|
Past |
Present |
| Johnnie Daniel
|
Don Dixon |
| Charlie
Holloway |
Jay Preston |
| Frank Thomas |
Ophelia Taylor |
| L.E. Jenkins |
Kevin Black |
| Leavy Barbee |
James Bacon |
| Staley Barbee |
Diana Bing-Lawson
|
| Freeland Jones |
Eugene Morant |
| Alexander J.
Blake |
Paula Sawyer |
| Julius Peele |
|
| Mabry Shaw |
|
| Luther Adams
|
|
| Robert Evans |
|
| Calvin Denson,
Sr |
|
Pleasant Grove Church is family
oriented and stresses the importance of family devotion,
prayer, study of God’s word and love for each other. The
church is unique because some of the families including: the
Guess, Jenkins, Daniel, Hopkins and Morgan families, have
been here since the beginning and welcome new disciples with
open arms.
Under the leadership of Reverend J.H. Little, the church
held groundbreaking services with half the cost of the new
building. The church bought its first pews and carpeting. An
organ was purchased. Also under the leadership of Pastor
Silvey, a church van was purchased and a new bathroom was
installed to accommodate the handicap.
Our present pastor, Reverend Dr. Classy Preston was elected
pastor in April 1998 and the church began experiencing a
season of spiritual renewal and growth in stewardship,
adding over 200 new disciples to its membership during her
leadership. Initially, services were held only on the second
Sunday of each month, later expanding to the fourth Sunday.
Under the leadership of Pastor Preston, services were
expanded to all Sundays of each month. Also, four deacons
have been ordained during this time including Ophelia
Taylor, the first female deacon in 2004. Rev. Julie Bell in
2005 became the first pastor to be ordained at Pleasant
Grove Church. Also, 3 disciples have been called into
ministry during this time frame.
Additionally, age specific Church School classes were added
and Bible Study has been enriched; Leadership, Stewardship
and Discipleship workshops have been held annually for all
church leaders. Spiritual gifts were identified and a youth
ministry and youth choir was organized. Other new additions
include: Nursery Ministry, Christian Education Ministry,
Academic & Tutorial Ministry, Church Directory with
pictures, addresses and phone numbers, PGC Web Site (pleasantgrovecary.org),
Sound System technicians, Church Book Keeper, Church
Administrator, Finance Ministry, Fifth Sunday Services, an
annual Soul Food Night, in conjunction with Black History
Month and Multi-Media Ministry. Other items purchased were a
drum set and keyboard, Communion set and new hymnals. A
grand piano was donated. Bulletin covers and stationary were
customized for the Church. Vacation Bible School expanded
from 3 days to a full week (5 days). Our 1st Annual Health
Fair was organized, as well as the kick off our building
initiative, “Operation Faith”.
Many discussions occurred over the past few years about
questionable UCC issues, on July 26, 2004 Pleasant Grove
voted to disassociate with the denomination. Subsequently,
the name was changed from Pleasant Grove United Church of
Christ (PGUCC) to Pleasant Grove Church (PGC). We now
operate as an independent non-denominational church.
Pleasant Grove Church is committed to “Serving God Through
Loving Connections” As the church prepared for its fourth
move since 1865, spiritual foundations were laid and
physical foundations occurred. God called Pleasant Grove
Church to move forward in unity and love with the attainment
of land on Davis Drive in Cary. Groundbreaking occurred on
August 15, 2004 and by December 3, 2004; financing was
secured for the new site.
The building was formally dedicated on May 7, 2006, a rainy
day with over 300 people in attendance. On August 27, 2006,
with thanks be to God, Pleasant Grove Church held its first
service at the new location: 1528 Davis Drive, in Cary North
Carolina. Without a doubt, God has given Pleasant Grove
Church every resource needed to move forward and complete
the vision for our three phase building project. God’s favor
was upon the church throughout the construction process.
It is the Pastor’s vision that the church will grow
spiritually and transform our community and the world for
the building of God’s kingdom. With the focus being on the
family, Pleasant Grove Church Children’s PowerHouse Ministry
was introduced in 2007 and was held on 2nd Sunday of each
month. The Pleasant Grove Church Children’s PowerHouse is an
electrifying, spirit filled worship service where children
from ages of 6-12 years old can come to worship and
experience the awesomeness of God! Children’s PowerHouse
later was expanded to 2nd and 4th Sundays. In addition to
Children’s PowerHouse, the Family Life Ministry was formed
to bring the church to a greater level of awareness that
addresses all components of family life from nursery to
seniors.
On October 14, 2007, Pleasant Grove Church honored the
impeccable service and dedication of three saints: Trustee
Chair Emeritus Clarice D. Atwater, Council Chair Emeritus
Alice J. Green and Deacon Chair Emeritus Johnnie M. Daniel
who have collectively served in leadership roles for more
than 150 years. Over the years they have blessed the church
with their personal resources, talents, tithes, time and
offerings. A stained glass window was purchased for the
sanctuary with their names engraved.
Upon our arrival in Cary in 2007, we were honored by the
Apex NAACP as Church of the Year. Since our arrival in Cary,
we have strengthened our relationship with the community as
well as been a blessing to other Start-up Churches by
allowing them to use our facility for worship until they
were able to obtain their own church.
In June 2008, we celebrated Reverend Dr. Classy and Deacon
Jay Preston’s 10th year of serving God at Pleasant Grove
Church. In Pastor Preston’s own words, “This has been a
phenomenal decade, one filled with challenges, changes,
transitions and new beginnings….As we soar to the next level
in Worship, Evangelism, Discipleship and Fellowship, let’s
continue our focus and change lives in the name of our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ.” We have been changing lives as we
Serve God Through Loving Connections. We are walking in
faithfulness to our Lord and Savior which is demonstrated by
the revitalization through new leadership, new families, new
initiatives, and community outreach.
June 2009, the Rev. Dr. Classy and Deacon Jay Preston Family
Wellness Center was dedicated and opened. Our center
supports healthy and holistic living as we educate, equip,
empower, encourage and enrich strong healthy families for
active involvement in Christian life.
PGC is actively involved in local and worldwide initiatives
to help build the Kingdom of God. In 2008 and 2009 the PGC
Flag Hunters participated and supported the Annual American
Red Cross Golf Tournament to help raise awareness and funds
for disaster relief. The PGC Power Steppers have
enthusiastically participated in the 2008 and 2009 Annual
Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure which raises funds and
awareness in the fight against Breast Cancer.
PGC is involved in sharing the “good news,” Gospel of Jesus
Christ in Ghana, West Africa, Balm of Gilead in South Africa
through initiatives focused on the empowerment and education
of children. PGC has adopted one of the children at the
Sithabile Child & Youth Care Center, which is a home for
children from difficult circumstances. Currently we are
assisting in the relief efforts in Haiti.
We have been blessed with the spiritual wisdom of with the
Reverend Dr. Cynthia L. Hale, founder and Sr. Pastor of the
Ray of Hope Church in Decatur, Ga., Reverends and Drs. Henry
and the late Ella Mitchell, Atlanta, Ga., and the Reverend
Dr. and Mrs. Langston C. Bannister, Toledo, Ohio. |
