Apostolic Faith Church – The long, hard struggle

The Campden Park Apostolic Faith Church was born out of due season 25 years ago in the life of the Apostolic Faith Mission.

The struggle began in the year 1976 when 12 spirited young people, six from the Questelles Church and six from the Lowmans Hill Church, under the leadership of Omroy “O.T” Mayers owner of Finishing and Furnishing and thought it necessary to do ‘broad base’ Evangelistic work to blanket the entire Apostolic Faith fields and strengthen all the branch churches with open-air crusades.{{more}}

At that time O.T. Mayers (leader), O.P. Alexander and a few others went to the then overseer Elder George and discussed with him our visions and intentions. Having done that, we set out to minister the Word of God in the fields with a group known as “The Apostolic Evangelistic Contenders,” using our theme from the Mission’s Motto “Earnestly Contend For The Faith.” However, at the very onset of this launch, conflict began. A few members of our administration saw this group as a “threat” to the work and immediately challenged the overseer to stop us.

O.T. and Alexander conscious that God was with us in this venture and knowing that this was nothing less than the trick of the enemy, questioned the then authorities as to their purpose of opposition. The authorities could give no justifiable reason. The brethren having already been established by the Mission as under leaders continued to move on with a programme of evangelism.

In 1978 we were faced with the decision to purchase lands to build a proper place of worship. We sought to obtain lands in Vermont but that did not materialise. Another venue was sought.

In 1979 O.T. and Alexander made application to the Government for lands in the area to build. In short they were told to occupy and build in this very area. The brethren wasted no time to commence, but was hindered, as the authorities wanted the spot chosen for their own use.

The work began under swift hands, amidst all the obstacles, with no access to light, water or road; we were still able to erect a building in one-month working night and day. Within another month it was covered. The building was completed and on January 3, 1980, we opened the door of our church building.

A committee called the Building Committee was established with Fitz Wilson as Project Manager, Oneil Cruickshank as Chairperson, O.T. Mayers as Finance Manager, Al Wilson, Cleve Williams, Ronald Williams, Glenford Holder, Roy Boucher and Ormond Alexander as Committee Members, and Ron Prescod as Secretary (later replaced by Christalyn Malcolm).

A plan for the church building was drafted and sent to the Physical Planning Division. The first plan was rejected. A second plan was done and this time was given approval. We then set out to proceed with the work.

On January 7, 2001, a ground-breaking ceremony was held to officially summon the breaking of the existing building.

On Monday, January 8, 2001, the existing church building was partially demolished; one-third of the building was severed to make way for the basement. This took us four months in constructing at an approximated cost of $70,000; exclusive of given materials, donations and labour. With grateful hearts we moved into the basement to make way for the dismantling of the remains of the existing building.

Funds for the project were limited. It was estimated that the full cost of erecting a building of such magnitude would cost $750,000. At the onset of the building our bank account stood at $80,000.

We immediately set up a fund raising drive. Brethren at church gave willingly and ungrudgingly of their time, money and service. Friends and loved ones outside of the Mission poured whatever was laid upon their hearts to give. Our Sister Churches, at Paul Over, Lowmans, Questelles, Penniston, Greggs, Fancy, Gorse, Cedars, Dorsetshire Hill all poured into the treasury, the Mustique Assembly, the Pastor and brethren of New Testament Keartons Hill, the brethren in Barbados, St. Lucia and in North Carolina, Washington D.C, Brooklyn New York, England, British Virgin Islands and St. Thomas and other well wishers gave generously to the work.



The Campden Park Apostolic Faith Church was born out of due season 25 years ago in the life of the Apostolic Faith Mission.

The struggle began in the year 1976 when 12 spirited young people, six from the Questelles Church and six from the Lowmans Hill Church, under the leadership of Omroy “O.T” Mayers owner of Finishing and Furnishing and thought it necessary to do ‘broad base’ Evangelistic work to blanket the entire Apostolic Faith fields and strengthen all the branch churches with open-air crusades.

At that time O.T. Mayers (leader), O.P. Alexander and a few others went to the then overseer Elder George and discussed with him our visions and intentions. Having done that, we set out to minister the Word of God in the fields with a group known as “The Apostolic Evangelistic Contenders,” using our theme from the Mission’s Motto “Earnestly Contend For The Faith.” However, at the very onset of this launch, conflict began. A few members of our administration saw this group as a “threat” to the work and immediately challenged the overseer to stop us.

O.T. and Alexander conscious that God was with us in this venture and knowing that this was nothing less than the trick of the enemy, questioned the then authorities as to their purpose of opposition. The authorities could give no justifiable reason. The brethren having already been established by the Mission as under leaders continued to move on with a programme of evangelism.

In 1978 we were faced with the decision to purchase lands to build a proper place of worship. We sought to obtain lands in Vermont but that did not materialise. Another venue was sought.

In 1979 O.T. and Alexander made application to the Government for lands in the area to build. In short they were told to occupy and build in this very area. The brethren wasted no time to commence, but was hindered, as the authorities wanted the spot chosen for their own use.

The work began under swift hands, amidst all the obstacles, with no access to light, water or road; we were still able to erect a building in one-month working night and day. Within another month it was covered. The building was completed and on January 3, 1980, we opened the door of our church building.

A committee called the Building Committee was established with Fitz Wilson as Project Manager, Oneil Cruickshank as Chairperson, O.T. Mayers as Finance Manager, Al Wilson, Cleve Williams, Ronald Williams, Glenford Holder, Roy Boucher and Ormond Alexander as Committee Members, and Ron Prescod as Secretary (later replaced by Christalyn Malcolm).

A plan for the church building was drafted and sent to the Physical Planning Division. The first plan was rejected. A second plan was done and this time was given approval. We then set out to proceed with the work.

On January 7, 2001, a ground-breaking ceremony was held to officially summon the breaking of the existing building.

On Monday, January 8, 2001, the existing church building was partially demolished; one-third of the building was severed to make way for the basement. This took us four months in constructing at an approximated cost of $70,000; exclusive of given materials, donations and labour. With grateful hearts we moved into the basement to make way for the dismantling of the remains of the existing building.

Funds for the project were limited. It was estimated that the full cost of erecting a building of such magnitude would cost $750,000. At the onset of the building our bank account stood at $80,000.

We immediately set up a fund raising drive. Brethren at church gave willingly and ungrudgingly of their time, money and service. Friends and loved ones outside of the Mission poured whatever was laid upon their hearts to give. Our Sister Churches, at Paul Over, Lowmans, Questelles, Penniston, Greggs, Fancy, Gorse, Cedars, Dorsetshire Hill all poured into the treasury, the Mustique Assembly, the Pastor and brethren of New Testament Keartons Hill, the brethren in Barbados, St. Lucia and in North Carolina, Washington D.C, Brooklyn New York, England, British Virgin Islands and St. Thomas and other well wishers gave generously to the work.