History of Greater Faith
AME Church
and Personal Testimony of Pastor Caroline Shine
(abridged and uncompleted)
The purpose of this document is set forth a clear, chronological, and true account of the history
of Greater Faith AME Church as written by Rev. Caroline Shine, founding pastor.
On January 9, 1999 Presiding Elder Leroy Kennon, held a Pastors’
Meeting at the Mt. Olive
AME Church, 2525 West Church Street, Orlando in order to plan for
the upcoming District Conference. At the meeting, Presiding Elder Kennon announced
new pastors for his vision for new initiatives to plant churches in the following areas, as recorded in the official minutes
of the meeting:
1. Rev. Raymond Stallworth: Tangelo Park
Missions.
2. Rev.
Isaac Williams: May be sent to Lake
Monroe
3. Rev. David Ferguson: Pine hills
Presiding Leroy Kennon later announced in the Pre-Planning Conference
meeting held at Allen Chapel, Sanford on January 30, 1999, the initial request for a church
start in Lake Monroe
was open, and he needed someone to go there to start a church. No one answered
the call at that time.
After the January 30, 1999 meeting , the Spirit of the Lord moved on
Rev. Caroline Shine, a third year itinerant minister serving at her home church St. James, 819 Cypress Avenue, Sanford, recently ordained a deacon in the previous 1998 Annual Conference, to accept the call. Rev. Caroline placed a call to Presiding Elder Kennon, and told him that she was being
led by God to accept this call to start this church. Elder Kennon acknowledged
that Presiding Elder Mainer had earlier spoken with him of the prospect of a church in the Lake Monroe area but had never acted on it,
but Elder Kennon was led to act on it. Elder Kennon stated that God showed him this church in a vision, and
was being moved for a church to be planted.
Because Rev. Shine received remarks from other clergy that this would
not be a good thing to attempt to start a church at this point of her ministry, she was driven to seek God’s face
for reassurance that this was God’s will. Elder Kennon stated to Rev. Caroline that she
would be a pioneer and urged her to go forward with the mission. She asked God
to give her a sign. While in a local store, “Old Time Pottery” in Lake Mary, she asked
God to reveal the answer to her in a form of an eagle. If she a found crystal
eagle in the store, this would be a good sign. Upon finding the eagle in the
store, it was obvious that this particular store might have one. So she yet asked
for another sign that would be more distinctive and would leave no questions in her mind.
Upon movement in the store, God gave the definite sign. A picture on an
eagle was found, and under its wings was a church, with water streaming down from the altar onward through a valley of trees,
and in the center of the church was Jesus Christ. This sign could not be refuted,
and Rev. Shine purchased the picture as a testimony of God unction to proceed to starting the church.
After much deliberation on the part of Elder Kennon and Rev. Shine to
convince other clergy that this was a movement of God, on March 11, 1999 Shine wrote to Elder Kennon outlining her understanding
of the approach to her starting the church.
Presiding Elder Kennon discussed the matter with Bishop Frank Cummings, Presiding
Bishop at that time. At the 1999 Mid-Year Conference, held in Jacksonville Florida,
on March 27, 1999, Bishop Cummings signed and gave Pastor Shine a pastor’s appointment to start the new
church, then referred to as Lake Monroe Mission.
Rev. Shine left the meeting with
the appointment certificate, having no building and no members, but the bona-fided authority to pastor a church, which had
not yet come into existence, believing that God would take nothing and make something, “His Church.” Rev. Shine had
no idea that at this point she would be appointed “ Pastor.” She also stood in awe
that God had chosen and entrusted her to start this church having no more than Faith in Him to bring it to past. This then was truly an ordained appointment from God confirmed. Pastor
Shine continued her deaconate work at St. James, attending all weekly services and functions of the church just a she had
done previously, accepting the title as “Minister” to the St. James congregation knowing God had designated her “Pastor.”
Shortly thereafter, Elder Kennon accompanied Pastor Shine to an industrial
park area near US Interstate 4 and State Road 46, in order to help locate a facility to worship, but was not able to find a facility. Even though there was no success at this time, Pastor Shine continued to look for a place and praying that God
would lead her to one.
On July 9, 1999, Rev. Shine wrote to Presiding Kennon, copying the pastor of St. James and Bishop Cummings
informing them that God had blessed her to find a worship place in the Port of Sanford, and she would immediately starting
worshipping there at 5 pm on Sundays.
Following this announcement to Elder Kennon, Rev. Shine began immediately
to organize an initial worship service as soon as possible. An informal service
was held. Then on July 23, 1999, Elder Kennon, along with his wife Mrs. Vida Kennon, Rev. David Ferguson,
First AME Pine hills, Rev. Womack, New Bethel, Altamonte, and Sister Fannie Miller, the first lay member and former member
of St. James, Sanford, met at the Port locations for a few songs, scriptures, testimony, and expounding on the word. Following Rev. Shine’s testimony of how the Lord had blessed us in
obtaining a place, and acknowledging that her faith too had increased because of this, Presiding Elder Kennon declared that
this Church would no longer be called Lake Monroe Mission, but Greater Faith AME. Rev.
Shine knew immediately that just as God had given her the awesome assignment to start this Church, having nothing but faith
in Him, the assignment would take much struggle. The worship meetings began weekly on Sundays at 5 pm in order to allow
Rev. Shine to continue her duties at St. James in the morning. From this point,
July 23, 1999 until the 2nd Sunday in November 2000, Shine faithfully served at both locations, assisting the Pastor
at St James with Worship services in the mornings and evenings, bible studies, and other functions of the St. James while
carrying on the work of Greater Faith, which made for long days and long nights throughout the week for more than a year. Rev. Shine also continued her 40 hours/week job and her all day Saturday ministerial
trainings. She realized that God would supply her and give her strength.
Mrs. Lorraine Offer of St. Mark AME Church, the church’s first musician, agreed to play the keyboard voluntarily
for the afternoon services, and members of St. James began to visit and show support for the new church. Ms. Miller, the first lay member and consistent tither, and some members from St. James attended on a regular
basis including, but were not limited to Sis. Sylvia Stallworth, Finnis Faine,
Juanita Papino, Mildred Wilson, Herbert People, Christine Jenkins, and others. On
August 10, 1999, the church held its first Quarterly Conference just prior to its first Official Worship Service, marking
the anniversary date of Greater Faith as August 15, 1999. See below
Greater Faith AME Mission statement was formed and read
as follows:
THE MISSION AND PURPOSE OF THE
GREATER FAITH AME CHURCH
The Mission of the Greater Faith AME Church
is to minister to the spiritual, intellectual, physical and emotional, and environmental needs of all people by spreading
Christ's liberation gospel through word and deed. The Church mission includes
building and strengthen communities by improving living conditions through continual programs of (1) preaching the gospel,
(2) outreach to the needy (3) tutorial services and vocational training (4) investment in youth development.
Rev. Shine heard God’s
spoken word through another one of his servants, Pastor Michael Price, Ball Chapel AME, St. Cloud two times that conference
year that brought encouragement to this awesome challenge, especially as the task brought forth struggles within the new church
and without the church. Rev. Price may not have even been aware of thrust
of the sermons he preached entitled, “The
Mission is Not Impossible”, Numbers,
Chapter 13 and “God only needs a Few Good Men”,
Judges, Chapter 7.
Rev. Shine sent out announcements
to the District Pastors to let them know that the church was started. The formal worship service and meeting to organize the Church was held on September
12, 1999. At that time, there were only five official members of the Church and
only two were present that came forth as members. The official first two lay
members of the Church were Sister Fannie Miller and Brother Gerard Shine, son of the pastor.
The other two constituting members were Sister Tanesha Blackmon, daughter of the pastor then living in St.
Petersburg, Florida and the church’s
first convert Sister Faye Perkins of Sanford. Ms. Blackmon later moved to Central Florida to assist her mother “behind the scenes” and willingly
became an uncelebrated laborer in the vineyard. God knew that Pastor Shine would
need her strong loving arm to lean on, as the future would show how people, situations, and places would surprisingly and
unexpectedly change. Sister Lucinea Walker came but withdrew before completing
probation. It should be correctly written in all historical records to come that
even though there were potential members on the list, these persons below along with Pastor Shine came forth in this order
from the beginning, putting the hands to the plow, and had the faith in God to believe God in this vision:
Persons who will became the constituting members:
1. Rev. Caroline Delores Shine, Pastor
2. Fannie Miller, Steward
3. Gerard Shine, Trustee
4. Tanesha Shine Blackmon
5. Faye Perkins, Secretary (1ST CONVERT)
children of the Church
1. Treneicia Blackmon
2. Terrence Blackmon
The names of the ministers that attended the organizational meeting
to witness and ratify the establishment of this new church:
1.
Presiding Elder LeRoy Kennon
2.
Presiding Elder John A. Mainer
3.
Presiding Elder James O. Williams
4.
Rev. Marvin C. Zanders
5.
Rev. Charles Cloy
6.
Rev. Willie Womack
7.
Rev. Raymond Upsom
8.
Rev. Arnold Porter
9.
Elder Hezekiah Ross
10.Rev. Lugenia Sanchez
11.Evangelist Betty Carlson
12.Bro Reggie Johnson
13.Bro. John Williams
14.Bro. Octavious Smith
15.Bro. John
Hadley
These members
of other churches also voluntarily worked with Greater Faith in establishment of the congregation and work.
Financial Advisor: Gregory Washington, CPA
Musician: Lorraine Offer
Assistant Musician as needed: Sylvia
Stallworth
Project Assistant: Gloria Depradine
Project Assistant: Betty
Carlson
At the September meeting and Worship Service, to Rev. Shine’s surprise and delight, Pastor Marvin C. Zanders, II,
Mt. Olive AME
Church, Orlando attended and preached the sermon. Our
worship and meeting place was merely a board meeting room able to hold about 40
persons or less, and in the middle of the floor was a large long boardroom conference table, which was used as the altar. Our pulpit was a wooden lectern stand donated by Sister Shirley Wilson and our sign
donated by Sister Finnis Faine, was only displayed inside the building. The setting
was very much rudimentary, rough accommodation, but was gloriously transformed into an anointed sanctuary when the people
of God met to worship. Pastor Shine was amazed that Rev. Zanders, the first pastor
of the district, would come down to this baby church, and preach in the board room the same as if he was preaching to thousands,
and her respect for him jumped tremendously. While in the District Institute,
Pastor Shine recognized Rev. Zanders' strength and leadership as a teacher. At
the service, he preached “A Strong
Church in the Jungle,” Acts 2:42. He spoke of the courage of this mission, admonishing Greater Faith that being a strong church requires
steadfastness of the apostle’s doctrine
and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer. At the service, Presiding
Elder J. O. Williams also provided a provoking and memorable admonition to Greater Faith incorporating the words of I Chronicles 28: 9-10 in this great work of the
Lord,… “Take heed now, for the Lord hath chosen thee to build a house for the sanctuary:
be strong, and do it.”
From the meeting, Presiding Elder Kennon, Pastor Shine and members of the church, went armed
to the Annual Conference to present the church for admittance to the Annual Conference held On September 16, 1999 in Lakeland, Florida.
During that 1999-2000 Church year, Pastor Shine was able to locate five
acres in Lake Monroe
for a possible site for the new church. She contacted the landowner, in Syracuse, New York, who verbally agreed to sell the land. The land faced Oregon
Avenue in Lake Monroe
and the posterior faced the Bookertown (Lake Monroe) Community.
While holding services in the Port of Sanford,
Greater Faith reached out to the community of Lake Monroe also named Bookertown. There was
much work to be done in this community and Greater Faith joined the Bookertown Improvement Association, immediately and began
steps to bring local government to come in and help this underserved community. Pastor
Caroline Shine likened this effort to the parable of the good neighbor and related it to quality of life.
Even though much work was done and initiated for Bookertown, the church was unable to receive members
from this community, and found much opposition from other denominations in the community that did not believe women should
pastor churches. Many residents however, were grateful for the assistance. Even though evangelism and community service was
heavy in the community, church membership for Greater Faith was slow, and no members joined the church from this community. Pastor Shine hoped that the erection of the church would change this outcome.
After June 30, 2000, the Senior Bishop of the AME
Church, Bishop John Hurst Adams, was now the Presiding Bishop of the
11th Episcopal District. At the first convening conference, with the approval
of Bishop Adams and Elder Kennon, Pastor Shine brought forth the Church Resolution authored by Pastor Shine and Tanesha Blackmon,
Greater Faith Trustee Pro Tem, approved by the local church, a request of the Conference Trustee to authorize the Greater
Faith to purchase the 5 acres in Lake Monroe and authorize the Episcopal District to guarantee the loan. Rev. Jimmie Thompson, of Bethel AME Church Lakeland, made the motion to approve the request, which was
seconded, and carried by the body.
While this grand approval was given amd the church had much to be happy about, problems were brewing. Pastor Shine informed the
landowner that the church was ready to purchase the Lake Monroe land discussed earlier and to pursue the loan.
To her dismay, she found that the landowner had transferred to land into her daughter’s name, who wanted to wait about one year before selling the land, and also
increased the sale amount by $15,000. According to the daughter, she was expecting
the area to grow substantially and was also expecting an offer from a beer company
to purchase the land. If they offered a higher amount she would sell to them.
The daughter asked Pastor Shine to wait one year to see if the transaction would
take place. Even though it appeared that the women had reneged from their verbal
agreement, Pastor Shine did wait and continued to contact them to make good on the offer. Pastor Shine, along with Steward Pro-Tem Fannie Miller approached Sun Trust Bank, the church’s bank, in advance to request a loan approval to purchase
the land. The bank rejected the request.
Pastor Shine continued to wait on word from the daughter before pursing another loan.
The 2000 Orlando Florida Annual Conference held in Daytona was a very significant turning point in
the life of Greater Faith. The Senior Bishop of the AME Church Bishop John Hurst
Adams, ordained Pastor Shine as Elder, with the laying on of his hand, Bishop Devores, Elder Kennon, and four other ministers
of the Conference. Pastor Shine was the first Elder that Bishop Adams ordained
in the Orlando Florida Conference since his assignment to the 11th Episcopal District.
After returning from the 2000 Annual Conference, even after being ordained an Elder, Pastor Shine
continued to labor at both St. James in the morning and weekdays, and at Greater Faith at the Port of Sanford and inside her home. The pastor at St. James during 1999 asked
Rev. Shine to remain at St. James and assist for a year, which she honored, but knew that God would eventually lead her away
from St. James towards full ministry for Great Faith. Elder Kennon suggested
to Pastor Shine that morning service would help the church attendance. Torn between
the leave from St. James, Shine asked God to give a clear sign when she was to leave, and she wanted to leave in a manner
that God would be satisfied. That day came on the second Sunday in November 2000.
The Spirit of the Lord spoke to her at that time, and said to her that He has
given her a charge to keep at Great Faith, and to leave on this day and go attend the small flock that was placed under her
care. The Lord told her not to worry or be afraid to go to a morning service knowing the people who normally came would no
longer be able to attend, that He would provide. Even the musician and substitute
musician, committed to their own churches in the morning, would no longer be able to attend.
Without revealing what God had said to her, Pastor Shine as she left from the parking lot of St. James inwardly said
“good-bye” to her home church. At the
evening service at Greater Faith, Pastor Shine expressed that she was deeply saddened, but God would provide.
Pastor Shine changed the time of worship to morning service,
and informed the members that they would have to trust God to give us our own members, rather than relying of members of other
churches to hold us up. This faith move to the morning service was honored by
God, as he sent Elaine Turner, a singer and musician, and her family to Greater
Faith as they were looking for a church at the same time. Within two weeks, beginning
the first Sunday in December 2000, Greater Faith experienced its first morning service as God had directed. Soon thereafter, Mr. Leroy Richardson and others joined Greater Faith.
The Church began to grow after being released to morning ministry,
and evangelism outside of Lake Monroe(Bookertown)
began. As the Church began to grow, Pastor Shine began to feel the challenges
of putting new wine in old wineskins in pastoring the church, that ultimately drove her into a deeper relationship
and total dependence on God and His word. Pastor Shine would say that these things,
the rejections within and without this body, the trials of her faith and love, made her live the scriptures she preached more
enthusiastically, and opened her eyes to things that she had earlier overlooked or dismissed.
Pastor Shine would also say that through it all God had been good and faithful, and joy remained in her heart because
the mission and the pastoring of people of God was her calling from God. As you
remember, she did not ask to be a pastor, it was divinely appointed to her.
She recalled during the 2000 Annual Conference, Bishop John Adams stated as he looked at his map that
he had thoughts of a new church in Deltona. While he was speaking God was revealing
to Pastor Shine through his voice once again to explore Deltona, and she kept this close to her heart. With the endurance of recent strong feeling of rejections in Lake
Monroe and hometown Sanford
, God then put into Pastor Shine’s
spirit a confirmation to look for other lands.
After waiting the time period, the Lake Monroe landowners failed
to provide any favorable news for purchasing the land. It appeared that God was
saying that Lake Monroe was not the location
to build His church, but to continue to worship at the Port
of Sanford until he brought us to a land that He would show. It became clear in Pastor Shine’s mind that God was going to send her to place that He would chose, and though the journey started in Lake Monroe and initiative was for Lake Monroe, this it was not the Promised Land.
Pastor Shine moved on to look for lands in Deltona, as had
been envisioned earlier. She contacted a realtor of St. Johns Realty in Sanford to help her to look for land in Volusia
County. Pastor Shine took
Sisters Fannie Miller and Elaine Turner with her to look at lands provided by the
realtor’s list, but none was found acceptable. The
trip was unfruitful, but not disappointing.
Pastor Shine later took Sister Blackmon with her as they looked
for lands on Doyle Road Deltona. As they made a sharp and unexpected u-turn in
the road to turn around, the car mysteriously stopped in front of a parcel of land with a yellow sign that said “FOR SALE”. Pastor Shine and Sister Blackmon, immediately
looked at each other and agreed that this must be a sign from God. Shine contacted
the Realtor and asked her to investigate this 3 acre property. The realtor did
so, and contacted the owners. Pastor Shine was asked to come down to the
office to sign an acceptance of the offer, but while in the office the Holy Spirit warned her to not sign this document. Shine refused to sign at that time, then later requested her co-workers to examine
the property since we were in a dry season. Again the Holy Spirit gave good warning,
because the co-worker informed Pastor Shine that the property was partially wetland and less that one-acre was useable for
building. “Thank you Lord for guidance of the Holy Spirit”. Nevertheless, Shine felt a strong presence of the Lord on Doyle Road,
and informed this to the realtor to keep looking for property on Doyle Road, because Pastor Shine was being led
by God. The realtor, to Pastor Shine’s surprised, admitted that she too was feeling a presence of God, which she only experienced at this
magnitude one other time in her life. She stated that she would follow the request.
Miraculously, within two weeks, as the realtor was on her way
home, a saler was posting up a sign to sale five 10 acre lots on Doyle, northward of the other property. The realtor called Pastor Shine at work, and she
immediately left work to meet the saler while he was still posting the sign and told him of her quest to find property
on Doyle Road.
Because she was the first to arrive, she was given first choice of the 10 acres desired. She chose the greater than 600 ft Doyle frontage 10 acre property, which amazingly was a hundred dollars
less than the 5 acres sought in Lake Monroe. It was much more beautiful, with beautiful trees and a nature feeling. Truly,
this was the land that God had chosen, and while stepping on and walking the land Pastor Shine felt the presence of the Lord.
The saler explained that the land would have to close within
30 days as he was using the proceeds to purchase another area of land for expensive residential lakefront homes. This was
a challenge, knowing that Greater Faith had already been turned down by its own Bank for the 5 acres, and having the evidence
that the purchase could be made. However,
Pastor Shine signed a contract that the church would purchase the land within 30 days, not knowing how but just having faith
in God. To guarantee the sell or perhaps because of his own doubts, the
saler later signed a backup contract with another prospective buyer to purchase this same property with an additional $35,000
on top of the purchase price if Greater Faith defaulted on its agreement. However, he was very supportive and expressed his faith in God to Pastor Shine. But, nevertheless he had a backup plan.
Pastor Shine began immediately contacting banks and financial
institutions to get a loan for the property. Unfortunately, none of these institutions
would agree to provide the loan. Pastor Shine kept Elder Kennon abreast of all the activities she was undertaking. Pastor Shine took some members of the church to the property and prayed over the land, asking God to intervene
and allow the church to take the possession of the land.
Pastor Shine met with another Bank representative at the branch
directly behind her place of employment in Orlando, Florida. Shine informed him that the 11th Episcopal District had agreed to guarantee
the loan and she had be given permission to request the loan. When the loan officer
looked up the records of Bishop Adams and the AME church on his computer, he stated that he would pursue the loan out of the
Jacksonville office, but he stated that it was very possible
to get the loan. As Pastor Shine was sitting in the chair, timidity excited and
hopeful, the Spirit of the Lord spoke to her once again, saying, “You think that this is all about land, but I am trying to show you a bigger picture. Look how things changed when you ask for the loan in the name of the Bishop and the Church. It shows you how the AME Church
is divinely connected, even to the smallest of churches. But I am showing
you the connection to the Father through Jesus Christ to the least of his saints. In
the past you have called on the name of Jesus, but not with the strength and power that you should. From this point forward, I give you permission to use my name. From
now on, this day forward, when you ask in my name, the name of JESUS, you will
see things miraculously happen, just as you have seen today." As Pastor Shine sat in the chair, in awe of the loan, but much more in awe of the message she had just received,
tremors ran through her body, knowingly that she had now been entrusted by God for greater works, and fearful to be sure not
to use His name in vain. She left out of the office numb, but happy.
Thinking that everything was going along from this point, there
was a long spot where she did not hear from the bank, even though she continued to call.
In the meantime, the saler continued to call her asking whether the finances had been secured. Pastor Shine stated that it was in the process and would be on time, knowing that no papers had yet been
executed, but just holding on to faith in God. Thinking everything was going
along, Shine contacted the bank and found that nothing had been furthered, and we were less than 2 l/2 weeks from closing.
Shine contacted Bishop Adams at his residence just as he and
Mrs. Adams had just returned from a Bahamas
meeting and informed him of what was going on with the bank. He stated that he
would contact the bank to check on it. Shine informed him that the owner had
a backup contract if we defaulted on the land purchase. Bishop Adams encouraged
Pastor to not be discouraged because of that. Shine later contacted the bank, who stated they needed more information from
the Bishop’s office. Time continued to draw near, and by Wednesday before the Monday’s closing, there was no word.
Shine tried unsuccessfully several times to reach Bishop Adams,
who was attending a week long Connectional Lay Meeting at the Adam’s Mark Hotel in
Jacksonville, Florida. After much praying, the Lord laid it on Pastor Shine’s heart that she must go to Jacksonville
to find the Bishop. She informed the church’s Steward Pro-tem Miller and also Presiding Elder Kennon that she was going
to Jacksonville to see the Bishop. She also informed Trustee Pro-tem Blackmon that she was going. Only
Sister Blackmon offered to go with Pastor Shine to Jacksonville,
so that she would not have to drive at night alone, but would have to bring her
children along. Pastor Shine thanked her for her thoughtfulness, wishing that
she did not have to go alone, but she did not want to bring the children out late at night.
She knew at that point it was a journey that she would face alone. After working for eight hours, traveling for 2 hr
to and from Orlando, Pastor Shine re-dressed into her clergy attire and drove to Jacksonville that Thursday night.
Arriving in Jacksonville, she was
aware that the Lay Banquet was going on and the tickets were $50.00 per person. She
went to the receptionist table and told the person attending the table that she really needed to speak with the Bishop. He was sitting at the head table in the front of the room, and the door entrance was at the back, and there were hundreds of people between the back door and the front
table. The receptionist stated that Pastor Shine could perhaps go around
to a side door, and send a message by an usher.
Pastor Shine found the side door and saw a chair sitting next to the door. She sat in the chair and desperately began writing a note to the Bishop, saying, “Help,
the bank has not proceeded” ,
and while she was writing the note, who would be coming from the Men’s Room with intent to re-enter the banquet room from the side door but Bishop John Hurst Adams. Shine immediately rose to met him, and began telling him of her situation. Bishop Adams stated that he had talked with the bank and provided
all the information and was puzzled that the matter was not taken care of. He
then instructed her to contact the bank and set up a teleconference for Monday morning.
In Shine’s mind, she said “Monday morning, that’s the day of the closing and no papers
have been signed.”
